Police failed too many victims of abuse...we had to change: Police chief on tackling domestic abuse in Essex

I WALKED into a door. I was playing netball and a ball hit me in the face. She hit me first and I was just protecting myself. He didn’t mean to do it and he said he is sorry.

On a daily basis, police officers are confronted with excuses for the sort of violence in a home which would never be permitted on the streets.

But there is no CCTV in a home to record what actually happened.

Instead, there are incredibly complicated personal relationships, overflowing emotions and a lot of confusion.

Yet police officers are expected to get to the bottom of what happened, keep the victim safe, prosecute the criminal and get the balance right between what is a domestic row and what is domestic abuse.

There is a specialist domestic abuse crime unit in Southend and Basildon.

And Clare’s Law has been introduced, which allows people to find out if new partners have a history of domestic abuse.

But perhaps the biggest change is that body cameras are now worn by officers to record the scenes they are confronted with.

That has helped provide a solution to the age-old problem of one person’s word against another.

They allow magistrates, juries and judges to see the situations for themselves.

Most importantly of all, they help prosecute violent abusers when the victim is too scared to speak out themselves.

There are now 400 body worn cameras used in Essex after being introduced this year.

They have already helped the force launch 120 “victimless”

prosecutions, where the Crown Prosecution Service brings a case before the court without having the victim involved.

Mr Kavanagh said: “The body cameras give us more objective information to show to the courts.

“The direct results have been more guilty pleas and more convictions. When you show the courts the level of injuries and fear, they can see the situations for themselves.”

Another improvement has been considering each individual situation.

He said: “In the past, all domestic abuse situations were being treated the same.

“Not all victims want or need blue lights flashing to their door.

“This approach is not without risk but, if you have better information, you can make better decisions.”

Essex Police received praise for improving their handling of domestic violence in a report by Her Maje s t y ’ s Inspectorate of Constabulary. Mr Kavanagh is confident the improvements already made and the plans being put in place will help the force avoid some of the tragedies of the past.

In 2008, Maria Stubbings was murdered by partner Marc Chivers in Chelmsford.

In July 2011, Jeanette Goodwin was murdered in Southend and Christine Chambers and her twoyear- old daughter Shania were murdered in Braintree.

In all cases, warning signs were missed by Essex Police.

Mr Kavanagh said: “There has been a massive amount of work carried out in Essex, by both the police and our partner agencies, to improve.

“The HMIC has rightly recognised this is a priority area for Essex Police and this is reflected in the robust approach we take against offenders.”

Comments

Also, it is not just women who are victims. Men, too, can be the victims of abuse but are often even more ashamed than women to report it.

Also, it is not just women who are victims. Men, too, can be the victims of abuse but are often even more ashamed than women to report it.emcee

Also, it is not just women who are victims. Men, too, can be the victims of abuse but are often even more ashamed than women to report it.

Score: 8

EscapingEssex
6:55am Thu 24 Apr 14

All well and good to say we are improving, but what a farce! I have lived in several English speaking countries and was a police officer in one very similar one. In all my years, I have never seen such a bad police force as Essex. I, for the first time, was a victim of abuse in Essex, and the lack of co-ordination, simple competence, and the general lack of humility when making vital and crucial errors that prevent prosecution are incredible. I now would not even pull over if an Essex Police vehicle signalled me to. I would simply dial 999 and tell them to follow me to the nearest police station. I have no confidence that Essex Police can resolve it's true institutional issues with domestic violence and crimes against women. They are in a worse position now than my own force was back more than 20 years ago. Shame Essex, shame. The worst I have ever witnessed.

All well and good to say we are improving, but what a farce! I have lived in several English speaking countries and was a police officer in one very similar one. In all my years, I have never seen such a bad police force as Essex. I, for the first time, was a victim of abuse in Essex, and the lack of co-ordination, simple competence, and the general lack of humility when making vital and crucial errors that prevent prosecution are incredible. I now would not even pull over if an Essex Police vehicle signalled me to. I would simply dial 999 and tell them to follow me to the nearest police station. I have no confidence that Essex Police can resolve it's true institutional issues with domestic violence and crimes against women. They are in a worse position now than my own force was back more than 20 years ago. Shame Essex, shame. The worst I have ever witnessed.EscapingEssex

All well and good to say we are improving, but what a farce! I have lived in several English speaking countries and was a police officer in one very similar one. In all my years, I have never seen such a bad police force as Essex. I, for the first time, was a victim of abuse in Essex, and the lack of co-ordination, simple competence, and the general lack of humility when making vital and crucial errors that prevent prosecution are incredible. I now would not even pull over if an Essex Police vehicle signalled me to. I would simply dial 999 and tell them to follow me to the nearest police station. I have no confidence that Essex Police can resolve it's true institutional issues with domestic violence and crimes against women. They are in a worse position now than my own force was back more than 20 years ago. Shame Essex, shame. The worst I have ever witnessed.

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